Rauner told the Champaign News-Gazette last week that he will live in the Executive Mansion if he is elected governor.

This is quite the deal, since he owns a mansion in Winnetka, a penthouse in Chicago, a waterfront villa in the Florida Keys, ranches in Montana and Wyoming, and a condo at a Utah ski resort. So he has a lot of choices of where to live besides little old Springfield.

But then, many people dream of living in a cottage in the sticks.

• • •

“You lost to the worst governor in America, and we’ve gotten a mess as a result.”

– Bruce Rauner at a Republican campaign forum, to fellow candidate Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, who lost to Quinn in 2010

• • •

No objections

At virtually the last minute last week, objections were dropped to Gov. Pat Quinn’s Democratic primary opponent appearing on the March 18 ballot.

It means that some issues surrounding the state’s new approach for choosing governor and lieutenant governor candidates will have to wait for another day to be addressed.

The new approach, starting this year, is that governor and lieutenant governor candidates run in the primary together. Before this year, candidates for the two offices ran separately in the primary.

Chicago activist Tio Hardiman filed petitions to run for governor against Quinn. He duly selected Brunell Donald as his running mate.

Quinn’s representatives challenged Hardiman’s nominating petitions, charging that he didn’t have enough valid signatures. The state Board of Elections investigated, and a hearing officer said Hardiman did, in fact, have enough valid petition signatures.

But the hearing officer said Donald should be removed from the ballot because she was not registered to vote at the address she listed on the nominating petitions. That’s a no-no.

It meant Hardiman could appear on the ballot, but he’d have to find another running mate. It was unclear how that would be resolved, and it will remain that way now that the objection was dropped.

Strange vision

from the DNR

From the Department of Natural Resources:

“There is no better way to appreciate the diverse landscape Illinois has to offer than by enjoying the recreational opportunities offered by Illinois’ state parks, fish and wildlife areas, conservation areas, lakes, rivers and forests.”

Puts you in a good mood, doesn’t it? Especially after the generally rotten weather we’ve had this winter, it’s nice to conjure visions of fishing or hiking or camping when the trees have leaves and you don’t have to trudge through a foot of snow to enjoy the outdoors. DNR agrees.

“They are ideal destinations for fishing, hunting, wildlife watching, boating, camping, hiking, picnics, bicycling and horseback riding,” DNR continues. “They are also places visitors can go to simply relax. Part of a pleasurable experience at state sites are the amenities offered.”